MOMBASA County—Feb 12, 2026 — The Mombasa County Government has initiated a special youth-focused programme aimed at tackling rising insecurity in the coastal region, even as debate intensifies over recent shoot-to-kill remarks by Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno.
The county, through its Education Department, has launched targeted interventions including expanded vocational and professional training opportunities for young people, in what officials describe as a long-term strategy to address youth-related crime.
Speaking during a Career Week event organised by the department, Deputy Governor Francis Thoya said the county administration had rolled out various measures to confront what he termed a growing “menace” affecting young people in the region.
“We have put in place several processes to address this challenge and ensure our youth are engaged productively,” Thoya said, without directly commenting on the police directive.
The programme comes amid heated public discussion following remarks by Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno, who warned that officers would shoot individuals involved in violent crime using crude weapons such as machetes.
The directive, issued in response to increasing incidents of attacks in parts of the Coast, has sparked mixed reactions from leaders and human rights groups.
County Education and Digital Affairs Executive Committee Member Dr Mbwarali Kame said Governor Abdulswamad Nassir had directed his department to develop additional strategies focused on youth empowerment in light of the prevailing security concerns.
“As a department, we have been instructed to identify sustainable mechanisms that will directly address the challenges facing young people in Mombasa,” Dr Kame said.
Elimu Scheme Chief Executive Officer Dr Jamal Ali said the department was also working to strengthen the education and training sector to both improve access to opportunities and mitigate vulnerabilities that expose youth to crime.
The county government has in recent years invested in technical and vocational education programmes as part of efforts to tackle unemployment, which remains a major concern among young people in the Coast region.
The Coast region has witnessed a surge in incidents involving gangs armed with machetes and other crude weapons, prompting heightened police operations.
Commander Nuno’s remarks signalling the use of lethal force have triggered debate over policing methods and the balance between security enforcement and human rights protections.
Youth unemployment remains a persistent challenge in Mombasa County, with leaders frequently linking economic hardship and lack of opportunities to rising criminal activity.
